by Frank Drucker, Publicity Director, Empire City at Yonkers Raceway

Yonkers NY — On Friday night (March 23) Yonkers Raceway offered the second round of the Blue Chip Matchmaker. A quintet of $40,000 events again brought together many of the best pacing mares.

‘Quintet’ was the watchword in the first division, with the field pared to five after a defection. Pole-sitting, series-debuting Wishy Washy Girl (Jason Bartlett, $4.80) kept pocket-sitting, even-money fave Twinkle (Eric Goodell) trapped in behind, then took it the distance (:27.1, :57.1, 1:25.3, 1:54.2), which matched her previous season’s win effort.

Shartin N improves her North American record to 7-6-1-0 after a another triumph in the Blue Chip Matchmaker.

The margin was a neck. Scandalicious (Tim Tetrick) moved from last down the backside, flattened but held third

For Wishy Washy Girl, a 5-year-old daughter of Roll with Joe co-owned by Michael Cimiglio, Glenn Goler & Stephen Demeter by Richard Banca, it was her second win in three seasonal starts. The exacta paid $11.40, with triple wagering refunded due to an insufficient number of starters.

The second division was a second handy Matchmaker win for Shartin N (Tetrick, $2.30). From post four, she worked around polester Clear Idea (Mark MacDonald), then had no grief whatsoever (:27.1, :57.1, 1:25.3, 1:53.2). Throwing down an early gauntlet in this series, Shartin N won by a facile 1-3/4 lengths.

Clear Idea saved second, with 69-1 rank outsider Vintage Babe (Brent Holland) a ground-saving third. She gained the bottom of the ticket after Au D Lox Bluegrass (Yannick Gingras) took out of third, tried to test the winner and faded to fourth.

For Shartin N, a 5-year-old Down Under daughter of Tintin in America co-owned by Richard Poillucci & Jo Anne Looney-King and trained by Jim King Jr., it was her sixth win in seven 2018 tries. The exacta paid $13.40, with triple returning $97.

Friday evening’s third series event found another series newbie, L A Delight (Gingras, $5.70), eschew an early three-hole, then hold sway (:27.3, :56.3, 1:25.1, 1:53.2).

From post three after last week’s scratch-sick, L A Delight took over from pole-sitting Mach It A Par (Bartlett). That one, and a first-up Wrangler Magic (Dan Dube) were quite credible, but not quite good enough. L A Delight disposed of Mach It A Par by 1-1/4 lengths, with Wrangler Magic third.

Darragh Riordan photos

L A Delight rebounded from a brief illness to strut her stuff at Yonkers Raceway on Friday evening.

For timid choice L A Delight, a 5-year-old daughter of Bettor’s Delight owned by Diamond Creek Racing and trained by Nancy Johansson, it was her first win in a pair of seasonal starts. The exacta paid $18.20, with the triple returning $93.

Friday’s fourth division saw logic take a holiday in the form of 36-1 bombardier Motu Moonbeam N (Holland, $74.50).

From outside post seven, she watched from the back as ‘Sissy and Sassy’ show, with HP Sissy (Dube) and tepid 2-1 favorite Newborn Sassy (Tetrick) leading the ladies (:27.2, :57.1, 1:25).

Jag Out (Gingras) pulled from third with a hard challenge, only to eventually break stride. However, the front end was more than vulnerable, with Motu Moonbeam closing crisply to win by a 1-1/4 lengths in a season’s-best 1:54.3.

Safe from Terror (Jordan Stratton), who misstepped in the third turn allowing the eventual winner to improve position, made up much ground to end up second. Gina Grace N (Larry Stalbaum), second-over and gapping the misbehaving Jag Out, did get third.

For Motu Moonbeam N, a 6-year-old Down Under daughter of Bettor’s Delight owned by Friendship Stables and trained by Paul Blumenfeld, she’s now 3-for-10 this season. The exacta paid $459, with the triple returning $4,101.

The evening’s final series get-together found last season’s series victress, Mackenzie A (Stratton, $16.20), make her first statement this season.

Working off the pace after starting outside her six foes, Mackenzie A did have some numbers to chase as Lakeisha Hall (Gingras), Call Me Queen Be (Scott Zeron) and 2-5 choice Lady Shadow (Bartlett) were all in play.

Before the dust settled (:26.1, :55.4) and Lady Shadow had two-moved to the lead, Mackenzie A was out and moving. She was done no favors—and forced three-wide briefly—when Lispatty (Brennan) came out directly in front of her. That one threw down another roadblock, tiring by the 1:24.1 three-quarters and forcing Mackenzie A wide again.

No problem, as she just rolled over a tiring Lady Shadow in the lane. Mackenzie A drew out, winning by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:53.1. Lakeisha Hall raced well at both ends of the mile to finish second, with Dudesalady (Holland) and Lady Shadow retreating to fourth.

For third choice (barely) Mackenzie A, a 6-year-old Down Under Rock N Roll Heaven lass trained by Peter Tritton for co-owners Von Knoblauch Stables and Ellen Kinser, it was her first win in a pair of seasonal efforts. The exacta paid $131.50, with the triple worth $1,008.

Saturday night (March 24) offers a quartet of $50,000 divisions of Free-for-Allers in the second round of the George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series.